


Bloodless Sleep

by Summer Rain (Zeram)



Category: Dead Zone
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 19:04:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeram/pseuds/Summer%20Rain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bad enough to see bad things in a vision but when Johnny can't escape them even as he sleeps Bruce is there to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bloodless Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written Nov 2002

  
Rated G  
Pairing: Pre-slash Bruce/Johnny

Bloodless Sleep  
By Summer Rain 

The dream had been recurring all night and each time he had woken gasping for breath and horrified. In it he was screaming. his hands were red with blood. 

How fitting he now thought to himself. It was almost as if he had killed her himself. After all he was the reason for this. He hadnt made it back in time. If only he had woken sooner. If only 

Johnny sat on the bottom step staring at the doorway. He had given up on the idea of sleep long ago. Every time he closed his eyes the images of the past few days invaded his dreams. He wanted to cry, to rage, to scream but he couldnt. He didnt have the strength. Just as he didnt have the strength to leave the house like he had planned to when he had first walked down the stairs that morning. 

His leg had given out on him for a moment and he had sat down heavily on the bottom step and hadnt bothered getting back up yet. Somehow all the things he had gone through since waking from the coma seemed to come crashing down on to him. His misery becoming a physical burden that robbed him of his strength. 

He leaned forward and rested his head on his folded arms. He was so tired. He was tired of seeing things he shouldnt see whether in a dream or in a vision. He could have gone on ignorant of the true circumstances behind his mothers death if not for his accursed gift. What kind of gift bought such misery to its owner? 

Johnny sighed. Out of the corner of his eye he could just see the tip of the cane where it had fallen on the ground. Bruce would be over any minute now coaxing Johnny outside for a walk around the neighborhood. He had been coming down the stairs so he could surprise Bruce with his readiness. But it hadnt happened. 

As if merely thinking of his friend could conjure him up he heard Bruces car pulling into the driveway. A few minutes later he heard the knocking on the front door. Even the knowledge that Bruce was waiting for him couldnt compel him to move from his spot on the stairs. 

Johnny? The call was accompanied by a louder knock. 

Johnny, you alright in there? 

Johnny couldnt move. He imagined Bruce pacing back and forth in front of the door. He listened carefully for the moment when Bruces car would be turned on and his friend would drive away. Instead he heard a muffled curse and then a key turning in the lock. 

He had forgotten he had given Bruce the key. He wondered now as the he heard the door opening what Bruce must be thinking seeing his friend sitting on the stairs head down as he was. 

He waited expecting Bruce to demand to know why Johnny hadnt opened the door for him but there was silence from the other man. 

He felt rather than heard the other man move toward him and stand in front of him. Neither of them said a word. Suddenly Johnny felt a hand on his head and it was as if a damn holding back his emotions had broken. Later he wouldnt remember who reached for who first but he found himself arms wrapped around Bruces waist head resting against his stomach. 

He cried out his anguish, sounds muffled by the other mans body. He did not know how long this went on before he felt the gentle hand stroking his shoulder. Bruces other hand stroked his hair. As if Bruce had sensed his greater awareness the stroking stopped. Johnny panicked for just a moment, fearing irrationally that his friend would abandon him. He let his arms drop and watched as Bruce stepped back still not daring to look in the other mans face. He was ashamed to have broken down in front of his friend and he could only wonder what Bruce must think of him. He had to resist the urge to touch him again to find out. 

He felt that gentle touch again on his shoulder and, startled, he looked up at his friend relaxing as he saw the understanding smile on Bruces face. 

Bruce stepped forward again bending down to put his arm around Johnnys waist and stood up tugging Johnny to stand along with him. He seemed to sense Johnnys weariness and walked slowly with him towards the sofa in the living room. Johnny watched as Bruce sat down turning so that his right leg was extended and his left leg touched the floor. 

Johnny looked at the space Bruce had left and then looked up into his friends face. The expression was one of openness, the gaze extending an invitation. Bruce opened his arms and Johnny nodded and sat down. He scooted down and got comfortable his head resting against his friends chest. The arms came around him in a loose hold and he placed his hands over that of his friends. His clean hands with no blood on them. 

He could feel the warmth of his friend seeping into his body and he could almost feel it chipping away at the coldness in his soul. Bruce was like that. First he had worked on helping to heal Johnnys body and Johnny knew given half a chance that Bruce could heal his soul as well. 

He heard the sigh of contentment from Bruce and he smiled closing his eyes and letting the soft breathing from his friend lull him into sleep. For the first time in many days his dreams were bloodless dreams. 

-Fin- 


End file.
